APA Reference List

    Complete guide to formatting APA reference lists according to 7th edition guidelines

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    Published: September 15, 2025
    By heypaperhero Team

    Reference List Basics

    The reference list provides complete information for all sources cited in your paper. It appears at the end of your paper on a separate page titled "References."

    Reference List Requirements

    • ✓ Start on a new page after your paper
    • ✓ Center the word "References" at the top
    • ✓ Double-space all entries
    • ✓ Use hanging indent for each entry
    • ✓ Alphabetize by author's last name

    Basic Reference Format

    APA references follow this general pattern:

    Author, A. A. (Year). Title of work. Publisher.

    Four Main Elements

    1. Author

    Last name, first initial, middle initial (if available)

    2. Date

    Publication year in parentheses

    3. Title

    Sentence case for articles, title case for journals

    4. Source

    Publisher, journal name, or website information

    Alphabetizing Rules

    Standard Alphabetizing:

    Adams, B. (2023)...
    Brown, C. (2022)...
    Smith, A. (2023)...

    Same Author, Multiple Works:

    Smith, J. (2021). First study...
    Smith, J. (2022). Second study...
    Smith, J. (2023). Most recent study...

    No Author (by Title):

    Climate change effects on agriculture. (2023)...

    Hanging Indent

    Each reference entry uses a hanging indent:

    Smith, J. A. (2023). Understanding research methods: A comprehensive
    guide for students. Academic Press.

    How to Create Hanging Indent

    • Microsoft Word: Select text → Paragraph → Special → Hanging
    • Google Docs: Select text → Format → Align & indent → Indentation options
    • Manual: First line flush left, subsequent lines indented 0.5 inches

    DOI and URL Guidelines

    DOI (Digital Object Identifier)

    Include DOI when available. Format as a clickable link:

    Smith, J. (2023). Article title. Journal Name, 15(3), 123-145.
    https://doi.org/10.1000/182

    URLs for Websites

    Include retrieval date only if content may change:

    Author, A. (2023, March 15). Article title. Website Name.
    https://www.example.com/article

    Sample Reference List

    References
    Brown, M. K. (2022). Digital literacy in higher education. University Press.
    Johnson, L., & Davis, R. (2023). The impact of social media on student
    engagement. Educational Technology Research, 45(2), 78-92.
    https://doi.org/10.1000/example
    National Education Association. (2023, January 10). Teaching in the digital
    age. https://www.nea.org/digital-teaching
    Smith, A. B. (2021). Online learning effectiveness: A meta-analysis.
    Journal of Educational Research, 38(4), 234-251.